Trump’s administration supports previously promised salary for firefighters in the wild – but many take care of a new decrease in the dogeing jobs will sabotage them
Firefighters in the wild will hold a four -year salary under aConsumption Account under the leadership of GOPsigned by President Donald Trump but many careMass federal firing of workersThey will leave the nation more vulnerable to fires.
Internal Secretary Doug Burgum on WednesdayAttributed TrumpBy providing an increase in the salary in the post on the website of social media X. He said that the administration was grateful to the firefighters for which he said that “he embodies the American spirit selflessly risking his life to protect his neighbors, protect their communities and preserve our natural heritage.”
A constant increase in wages comes as Trump and Elon Musk Government Efficiency Department reduced about 3,400 workers on Our Forest Service, about 1,000 on National Park Service and 1,000 more on National Ocean and atmosphere administration.
Many of these workers held trails without remains, supervised the prescribed burns, shimmed forests and were specially trained to work with firefighters. They say that reduction of staff threatens public security, especially in the West, where they are dry and Warm conditions associated with climate change They increased the intensity of the fire.
“What I hear from my voters who are actually fighting fire in Washington is that Trump and Elon are the jobs of firefighters in wild lands far more difficult and far more dangerous by dismissing thousands of workers in forest services and others who support firefighting in the wild,” said Democratic American Senator Murray Ue -Poruti. “It’s unfair and honestly offensive that this administration is converted differently.”
The federal government wasRevisiting some employeesUnder the court order after the challenge of shooting.
According to the national federation of federal employees, Firefighters Wildland first started receiving a raise-50%increase, or up to $ 20,000-in 2021 as part of the two-party infrastructure law signed by then President Joe Biden. Congress subsequently expanded an increase in short -term basis.
Ambassador Mike Simpson, R-IDAHO, supervises the consumption of forests as a chairman of the internal and environmental extracts and worked that the salary become permanent.
“The constant repair of salaries for our firefighters Wildland will strengthen employment and retain, providing financial security with the first answers that protect our community,” Simpson said in a statement.
Randy Erwin, president of the Federal Employees National Federation, also celebrated the raise, saying that the union had struggled for it for years.
“Now that fight is worth it,” Erwin said in a statement. “Currected salary repair means that we can direct the focus to resolve other critical questions-eating and retaining, housing, benefits for mental health, rest and recovery, and overall welfare of labor for the wilderness of our country.”
He warned that the continuation of the effort of Trump’s administration would reduce the firefighters, and their support staff “will” mediate their workforce and make Americans less safe. “
“Congress must not allow these harmful plans to be done,” Erwin said.
The Washington State Forest George Geissler, who leads state efforts in the wild, has over 30 years of fire experience. He said federal officials do not value the roles that workers play in the fight against fire.
“I don’t think there is a desire to reduce the number of firefighters with a forest service,” he said on Wednesday. “But I think there is a clear lack of understanding how the Wildland Interior Fire Department is set up, how it works and that people who do not have a” firefighter “who are listed as their job are still a huge part of the response system in the country.”
Former Noaa Administrator Rick Spinrad said the reduction of the workforce of that agency will also critically inhibit fire fighting with the wilderness.
Spinrad said that Noah and the National Meteorological Service have about 100 “meteorologists of the incident”, or I-METS, which are deployed to the wild to support the scene-after the release of firefighters to know where the winds come from and what the weather conditions foresee.
“I know about the fact that some of these I-meters will not be at work, so the ability will be threatened,” Spinrad said during a recent press conference with several workers’ dismissed Noah.
Gregg Bafundo was discharged from Job last month as a wilderness X -ray and firefighter in the wild in the National Washington Forest Okanogan Wenatchee.
Bafundo is among those who are at least temporarily invited to work, but his long -term future with the agency is not clear.
“I have always been placed between danger and my fellow citizens, and now I feel like I have been discarded as a kind of parasite class or some type of fraud,” Murray hosted during a press conference last month. “These shameless and impeccable shootings will lead to the loss of life and property.”
This story is originally shown on Fortune.com
